Journal Number 115 February 1968 Pp 1-37
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WESSEX CAVE CLUB Journal No. 115, Vol. 10. February 1968 CLUB NEWS Caving has been at a low ebb over the last two months to minimise the risk of spreading the Foot and Mouth infection to Mendip. It has been necessary to cancel the planned programme of Club trips until March 1968, when it is hoped that restrictions may be eased. As it appears that the epidemic may be dying out and not spreading southwards we hope to reopen Hillgrove to parties who have not come from or through the affected areas. However, it is emphasized that (at the time of writing) there is still Government restriction on access to agricultural land, and so way leave to caves is not guaranteed. Until the order is lifted things cannot get back to normal. It has not been found possible to run a Club Draw. Only about thirty slips were returned offering to sell books of tickets, and this number is insufficient to float a worthwhile draw. This is a pity as fund-raising activities are very necessary if we are to raise capital for the new H.Q. at Upper Pitts. While on this ever gloomy subject, we draw attention to the enclosed insert listing 130 members who have yet to pay their subscriptions for 1967-68. Special attention is drawn to the availability of favourable five-year period membership, which you are invited to consider. You can only lose on this if you die in the next seven years, or the value of the pound increases! Period membership gives the Club the opportunity to use future income to erect Upper Pitts (see the Report of the 1967 A.G.M. in this issue). We should be able to start the works this spring, granted the smooth passage of our plans through the final stages with the Local Authority. They have already been approved by the Department of Education and Science. On 16th March there will be a Social Evening in the Red Lion, Wells, at the modest price of 10/- a ticket. Plenty of beer will be available, and we look forward to seeing as many of you as can get along, after your long enforced absence from Mendip. A buffet supper, and the possibility of coach transport, will help beat the breathalyser, so do try to come. During the lull there has been a complete review of our tackle requirements, and it is likely that as a result of renewal some old tackle may be up for sale. Anyone interested should contact Peter Cousins, the Tackle Officer. David Drew had to postpone the water tracing programme last December, but is planning to go ahead as soon as possible. While the official ban remains it is not possible to predict an exact date for this survey, but if you feel able to help please write to Dave at the Department of Geography, The University, Bristol 8. Incidentally, if you have not purchased a copy of the Club's Occasional Publication on the first two phases of this Karst Hydrology research, please get in touch with the Hon. Treasurer, Tim Reynolds. 1 Hon. Secretary D.M.M. Thomson, Pinkacre, Leigh-on- Mendip, Bath, Somerset. Asst. Secretary R.M. West, Elm Tree Cottage, Hallatrow, Nr. Bristol. Hon. Treasurer T.E. Reynolds, Yew Court, Pangbourne, Berks. Subscriptions Treasurer A.E. Dingle, 32 Lillian Road, London S.E.13. Hut Warden M.W. Dewdney-York, 8 Lyndale Road, Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Dorset. Editor J.D. Hanwell, ‘Chaumbey’, 50 Wells Road, Wookey Hole, Wells, Som. Journal Distribution P.R. Cousins, 3 Kinver Road, Sydenham, London, S.E.26. Caving Secretary R.J. Staynings, 8 Fanshawe Road, Hengrove, Bristol 4. PROGRAMME OF EVENTS * Weekend March 2/3rd. South Wales. Leader: R.A. Philpott, 3 Kings Drive, Bishopstone, Bristol. * Sunday March 17th 2.30 p.m. Swildons Hole. Double Trouble. Round Trip etc. Leader: R.Bignall, Kinsale Road, Knowle, Bristol Saturday April 6th 3.0.p.m. Longwood/August Hole. Leader: J. Thomas, 13, Hale Reeds, Heath End, Farnham, Surrey. Weekend April 12/15th Easter. Yorkshire. Leader: J. Church, 35 Rayens Cross Road, Long Ashton, Bristol. * Weekend April 27/28th. South Wales. Leader: C.H. Kenney, Tudor Cottage, Beryl Lane, Wells. Weekend May 11/12th. Agen Allwedd. Leader: P. Cousins, 3, Kinver Road, Sydenham, London S.E.26. Weekend May 18/19th. Devon. Leader: D.M.M. Thomson, Pinkacre, Leigh-on-Mendip, Bath. NOTES: Please give the Leaders prior notice of your intention to join any trip. * Wet suits and nife cells essential. 2 REPORT OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON OCTOBER 21ST 1967 AT PRIDDY VILLAGE HALL The Chair was taken by the President, Frank Frost. Seventy-three members were present and the meeting opened with the President's address. Frank Frost said it was pleasing that so many had come on such a wet afternoon and this, with the large number of people attending the Dinner, made the Club’s future appear bright. He went on to thank the retiring Committee, on behalf of the Club, for their work during the previous year, especially Jim Hanwell who was retiring as Secretary. He hoped the members present would contribute to the discussions to guide the incoming Committee. Apologies for absence were received from Mr. & Mrs. T.C. Bryant, D.C. Bryant, Dr. D.C. Ford, Dr. A. Fincham, Eric Hensler, C.R. Hobbis, D. Kemp, Dr. W.I. Stanton, C.H. Kenney, D. Tringham, P. Weston, Dr. R. Pyke, Dr. O .C. Lloyd and C. Beauchamp. The minutes of the 1966 A.G.M. had been previously circulated and were taken as read. Matters arising from the previous A.G.M. were as follows:- a) A Subscriptions Treasurer had been appointed. b) We had explored the possibility of producing the Journal by means other than voluntary Club labour. It was now being printed by offset litho processing. c) More rescue practices had been held, as requested by the Secretary of M.R.O. d) The Treasurer's Report had recommended the transfer of £400. to the Hut Fund and this had been done. e) Negotiations had continued with the Dept. of Education & Science for a 50% grant towards the cost of the new Upper Pitts Headquarters. The Secretary’s Report for 1966/67 had appeared in the September Journal before the news had reached us that the grant had been approved. The adoption of the Minutes was moved by Mr. L.W.E. Devenish and seconded by Mr. R. Staynings. The Hon. Secretary's Report for the Club Year 1966/67 was taken as read, as this had been printed in the previous Journal, but he raised the following points:- a) Prof. Palmer’s geo-resistivity gear was under the care of John Church and he would welcome the assistance of anyone who had expert knowledge. b) The first Occasional Publication produced by the Club was on sale at the meeting. The paper by Dave Drew, Tim Atkinson and Colin High on Mendip Water Tracing had been produced and printed professionally and was on sale at 5/- to members. c) A Club Handbook was in the course of preparation. This could also be used as a Club Prospectus for new members. d) Ideas for raising the Club’s half of the cost of Upper Pitts were to be sought for the guidance of the next Committee. The Chairman was investigating the possibility of a Club draw. Discussion on these points followed. The problem of a draw would be distribution of tickets and recovery of money. If every member sold £1’s worth of tickets this would bring in £300, but this would be reduced to about £200., by prize money and administrative costs. Most schemes for raising 3 money meant that members had to dip into their pockets. Possibly firms with whom we dealt might be persuaded to donate prizes. The best price for draw tickets was thought to be 1/- as 2/- would result in a lot of sales resistance. The methods of distribution, recovering money and unsold tickets, the capital expenditure required and, as an afterthought, the legality, were discussed. Mr. C.W. Harris said he would rather not answer questions about the legality and it was decided to refer the whole question of a Club Draw to next year’s Committee. The Club Journal, under the Editorship of Tim Reynolds, had been published five times during recent years and the President asked for views about whether this number of issues was sufficient. It was felt that four issues a year were insufficient as people got out of touch, and that there was sufficient material for six issues, or possibly five issues and an Occasional Publication. An insurance firm had shown interest in paying for inserts in the Journal and this would be pursued by next year's Committee, on the basis of guaranteeing four issues. There was a considerable minority feeling,- expressed by Mrs. Par Davies, against inclusion of any advertisements, apart from those directly related to caving, and in deference to this it was agreed to limit any advertisements to inserts. Other advertisements might detract from the Club's good name. The Journal Editor was asked to enlarge on the proposed change of format of the Journal. "This", he said, "was under review, but some alteration in methods of binding might prove necessary." At this point the question of arranging Club Social meets in Bristol was raised. The Secretary pointed out that these had been arranged in the past, but that attendances had been erratic and that at one important meeting only three people were present.